On the 5th of December, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a law that would ban the expansion of the so-called “LGBT propaganda”. This law is expected to affect multiple cultural sectors in the country, including cinema, literature, and advertisement as well as increase the number of repressions and criminal cases against LGBTQ+ activists in Russia.
Are there better ways for the accused to be handled in our criminal justice systems?
Shocking accounts of sexual violence in conflict bring much needed public attention to the experiences of women in war, but what happens to the women who are forced to relive their trauma by telling their stories?
Janus Metz and Sine Plambech’s documentary ‘Heartland’ opens with a surprising revelation: 926 Thai women live in Thy, a small town in Northern Denmark, 25 years ago there was only one: Sommai.
‘In the Name of Your Daughter’ spotlights young girls running from Female Genital Mutilation in Northern Tanzania. I sat down with filmmaker Giselle Portenier to talk about the film’s production, protagonists and impact.
While India has made significant progress on gender equality legislation, issues such as child marriage, violence against women and femicide remain a reality of life.
A new law in Russia threatens prison time for anyone who publishes 'fake news' about the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Danish minister for the environment Lea Wermelin has pledged to conduct more checks on the exportation of Danish trash, aiming to stop it from ending up on Asian beaches. According to The Why’s investigation shown in our recent documentary film 'The Recycling Myth', our plastic waste is increasingly being burned far closer to home.
Even in the idyllic Sri Lankan countryside, the well-being of the natural environment is threatened by plastic pollution. While predominantly western countries continue to produce the material at alarming rates, countries like Sri Lanka are often the most negatively affected. Without the infrastructure, law enforcement and/or financial means to deal with the problem, plastic pollution could quickly become an insurmountable issue.
As of January 2022, North Korea has embarked on a testing rampage, firing 7 missiles in just four weeks. While the average North Korean makes just under a dollar per month, the regime rakes in enough foreign currency to support its nuclear weapons program. ‘North Korea’s Secret Slaves: Dollar Heroes’, an investigative documentary by Carl Gierstorfer and Sebastian Weis, asks the critical question: where is this money coming from?
Over the past few months, the world has watched as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, with media and free speech collapsing and journalists fleeing the country. 1TV was one of the leading television stations in Afghanistan, and a broadcast partner we were proud to work with.
An Indian team won the short film competition reinventing visuals of plastic pollution with the short film PlasticC. “We are overwhelmed by the films from all over the world adding local voices and artistic vision,” says Mette Hoffmann Meyer, CEO of THE WHY.
Critically acclaimed documentary films from THE WHY’s catalogue were broadcasted and screened to millions of people despite the pandemic that paralysed the globe.
The Information project ASK WHY? Docs will bring humans rights and empathy in to class rooms across Denmark. The goal is to fight harassment and create international outlook and will to engage in the world with the support of A.P. Møller Relief Foundation.
Death threats, blackmail, intimidation, and even assassinations are a reality for many of those who dedicate their lives to secure freedom of information.
ASK WHY? Docs was once again on the road approaching local Danish schools to screen a critically acclaimed documentary and start a live discussion with students in the local cinema.
Major broadcasters in Western Europe, Canada and Japan are supporting a documentary series produced by The WHY on new aspects and new solutions to the problems caused by plastic. The broad reach of the series to millions across the world will help to urgently bring this issue to the forefront of debate.
In April 2021, our YouTube channel reached a total of 14 million views.
With this expansion, we add a climate visionary to the organization in a year, where our coming campaign WHY PLASTIC? will focus on the serious consequences of plastic for the world's health, environment and climate.
Stories of resilience, hope and new beginnings resonated with Russian-speaking audiences as THE WHY’s documentary films, re-versioned and published by BBC News Russian, reached almost 6 million views on YouTube in 2020.
Interview with documentary filmmakers specialising in making documentaries in developing countries, creating awareness and empowering people and policy makers to make a difference.
Ilse and Femke van Velzen, directors of “Soldiers Who Rape”, walked us through their filmmaking process, the challenges faced when filming, and the documentary’s impact on Congolese people.
WHY STORIES documentary "In The Name of Your Daughter" is used as an educational tool in Tanzania.
Do you want your film to have a worldwide reach, on all societal levels, and ignite real change? Sign up to join the WHY STORIES series!
Mette Hoffmann Meyer, THE WHY's CEO, participates in debates and pitching sessions of the Conecta 2021 - V Meeting of the International Documentary Film Industry.
From the 2nd to the 16th of December
Discussing the American economy and democracy, the films gain even more relevance with the upcoming U.S elections
One of the biggest success cases of our YouTube channel is the film Secret Slaves of The Middle East, that captured more than half a million views from The Philippines, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
The vanishing of the young women and the conviction of 7 innocent men exposed the flaws of the Filipino Justice System. "Innocent on Death Row" is the documentary that exposes the truth about one of the Philippines' most commented and controversial crimes.
Afghan channel 1TV will broadcast 15 documentaries about human rights.
The recent additions bring to the discussion topics of migration, belonging, and feminism from places like Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Thailand, Palestine, Syria, and the USA.
Broadcast aims increasing the discussions about the human trafficking issue that has the Middle East as one of its hotspots.
Organisation in Burundi shows and debates "A Woman Captured", in the effort of shedding light on the situation of domestic slavery in the country.
The use of plastic has skyrocketed with Covid-19 and our new documentary series, WHY PLASTIC?, is more important than ever.
10 documentaries for free. 20 days online. THE WHY's Quarantine Film Club starts today!
After last year’s successful WHY ARGUE?, THE WHY invites you to ASK WHY TALKS, a series of conversations to challenge, provoke and illuminate you on the topic of ‘freedom’, starting from three stories of people who have risked everything to be free.
Our March Film of the Month sheds light on one preeminent issue still hindering women’s empowerment today: India’s patriarchal caste system.
WHY WOMEN documentaries were screened and debated this January in Pakistan - the third lowest country in the world for gender equality.
From diplomat to anarchist: Carne Ross starts doubting the Western establishment's political system and decides to go on a journey to find alternatives. Follow him on our February Film of the Month.
27 films of the WHY STORIES collection are available on BBC News Russian’s Youtube Channel.
WHY SLAVERY? film "Maid in Hell" is awarded by the jury of the 6th Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival.
Why would a man leave his family and risk his life for an adventure? Our January FILM OF THE MONTH follows the story of Andrew McAuley’s attempt to become the first person ever to kayak from Australia to New Zealand – across one of the wildest and loneliest ocean stretches on earth.
“We only have one planet and we must be respectful of it,” says Iceland's most celebrated photographer Ragnar Alexsson, portrayed in the film "Last Days of the Arctic".
Lisbeth Zornig Andersen has made a life-changing decision: as a 44-year-old, she is coming out as a victim of child abuse and sexual assault. She uncovers her childhood experiences in the film "My Childhood in Hell".
Public defenders in the United States have a tough job: They help felons to get a fair sentence. Therefore, they have to deal with long work hours, low pay and sometimes even clients that plan on murdering them. Watch our FILM OF THE MONTH about the fight for justice now on YouTube.
Using the cinema as a classroom, project has brought almost two thousand school students to watch and debate documentaries.
Fighting for human rights: Two broadcasters, from Morocco and Tunisia, will be releasing several WHY STORIES films – in dubbed Arabic versions. A historical milestone.
Documentaries screened offered a glimpse on the harsh reality faced by migrant domestic workers across the Middle East - which is also a major issue in Nepal.
How is it to abandon your family to escape a polygamist Mormon cult that implements rape, incest and arranged marriage of underage girls? Watch our October FILM OF THE MONTH now on YouTube.
WHY STORIES gets to its 5th season having reached 400 million viewers worldwide.
Almost 300 people have watched WHY SLAVERY? films in screenings in Senegal, a country that faces issues like human trafficking and forced labor.
Learn more about "Sisters in Law", the film available this September at our Youtube Channel.
This July, we have chosen the award-winning film ‘Putin’s Forgotten Children’ as our Film of the Month - available to watch free until August on our YouTube Channel.
The investigative documentary Dollar Heroes: North Korea’s Secret Slaves has received international recognition as the official winner of the ‘News’ category in the 2019 Monte Carlo Television Festival.
THE WHY was invited to the Olbia Film Network to present our work & meet Filmmakers,Producers and Distributors from Sardinia, Italy and beyond.
THE WHY delivers on its promise to reach new audiences in undeserved region through its proud partnership with HAART (Awareness against Human Trafficking) in Kenya.
This June, we have chosen our award-winning WHY STORIES film, My Afghanistan, as our film of the month.
How can we foster meaningful engagement and action towards the realization of the Global Goals? THE WHY CEO Mette Hoffmann Meyer, visited students at LSE to discuss, on a special panel discussion as part of the Global Educator's Challenge Award.
When did you last ask why? THE WHY takes centre stage at the Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development to discuss the importance of an informed and engaged global citizenry for the realization of the SDG's.
On the 13th of April, the WHY SLAVERY film ‘Selling Children’ was screened to over 200 Dalit people in the rural community of Nandyal, in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, India.
THE WHY is proud to announce it's latest collaboration with Clouds TV in Tanzania.
Last week our award-winning films, ‘The Benefits of a Toilet’ and ‘Maid in Hell’ were screened to a full audience at UN HQ in New York.
In collaboration with the non-profit organization; PlaysafeFoundation, THE WHY has hosted screenings of the WHY SLAVERY? Film Maid in Hell reaching 5000 children in schoolsaround the country.
On the 16th and 17th of March THE WHY’s partner New Beginnings Charitable Trust hosted two screenings of WHY:SLAVERY film ‘Selling Children’ in two villages in Andhra Pradesh, India.
In collaboration with Docubox and Amani Kibera, THE WHY hosted a community screening for 50 people of our critically-acclaimed WHY SLAVERY? film Maid in Hell.
It’s women’s history month and to celebrate women everywhere, we’ve chosen our WHY WOMEN? film State of Women as our film of the month!
In partnership with Docubox, THE WHY hosted a screening of the critically-acclaimed Maid in Hell to a 125 large audience in Kenya's capital Nairobi.
The WHY SLAVERY film Maid in Hell was screened at workshops run to sensitize military personnel to recognise the risk of slavery arising out of conflict.
On the 19th of January, THE WHY Foundation continued its collaboration with the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office with its latest screening of the award-winning WHY SLAVERY? film A Woman Captured in Brussels,Belgium.
The Why was pleased to host Spouses of the Official Ambassadors to Denmark from countries around the world for a screening of our critically acclaimed WHY SLAVERY? film: Maid in Hell.
WHY ARGUE? is a series of HOUR conversations about power structures, facts, media and the right to ASK WHY. This March, as part of the CPH:DOX 2019 official programme, we invite you to join us to take part in these intimate and inspiring dialogues as known from the French Salon tradition.
This February, we have chosen our award-winning WHY DEMOCRACY? film Please Vote for Me as our film of the month.
Our ‘Film of the Month’ feature is back and with it we’ll be keeping you up-to-date with the latest favourites from THE WHY HQ. We're starting off the season with the critically acclimaed film Park Avenue, directed by Alex Gibney.
Last week, A Woman Captured - one of the six WHY SLAVERY? films - was screened at the British Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, following a similar screening in Beijing.
The 10th of December marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.The Why was invited to host a screening of the WHY SLAVERY? Film Maid in Hell, followed by a debate on modern slavery, which is explicitly included in article 4 of the declaration: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
The Why organised a WHY SLAVERY? screening at the Mwanga Institute in the Democratic Republic of Congo in collaboration with COSCAE, La Coalition des Organisations de la Société Civile Anti-Esclavagistes (The Coalition of Anti-Slavery Civil Society Organisations).
Following the successful internal screening of Maid in Hell at the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office in October, The Why has worked hard to extend its collaboration with diplomatic actors and offices all over the world. Last week, A Woman Captured - one of the six WHY SLAVERY? films - was screened at the British Embassy in Beijing.
THE WHY proudly announces that we have received the German Design Award; Our WHY WOMEN? short film “The Benefits of a Toilet”, produced by Simon Andersen Nørredam, Trine Beckett & Peter Stenbæk, has won the 2019 “'Excellent Communications Design - Audiovisual'' award!
We are currently looking for 20 completed films for season 4 of WHY STORIES, within the following categories: culture & everyday life, civil & political rights, war & peace, inequality & development, and gender & sexuality.
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